Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage 1906 Goldsmith Lane PAID Louisville, KY 40218 Permit No. 284 ANNUAL REPORT 2013 Louisville, KY Change Service Requested louisville.bbb.org A GROWING VISION Dear Friends, As we reflect upon another rewarding year of educating over 300 blind and visually impaired children throughout Kentucky and Southern Indiana, we cannot help but to look forward to 2014. Without your generous support, we would not be capable of providing our teachers and volunteers the resources that are necessary to reach these children and their families during their formative years. Through my service on the Board of Directors and as President, I have had the pleasure of watching our teachers provide an education that has become the gold standard throughout the world when it comes to the education of visually impaired children. As VIPS continues to grow, your support is more important than ever. Thank you for your support. Jay Hatcher Board President VIPS ANNUAL REPORT 2013 Dear Wonderful Supporters of VIPS: FINANCIAL DATA DATA ON CHILDREN/FAMILIES SERVED July 1, 2012-June 30, 2013 July 1, 2012 - June 30, 2013 First of all – our heartfelt thanks for the many blessings you have bestowed! Louisville Central KY Bloomington This annual report will highlight the fiscal period 2012 to 2013. During this period your generosity has enabled VIPS to grow exponentially and reach Executive Director REVENUES TOTAL CHILDREN SERVED 175 101 65 Diane M. Nelson many more visually impaired children over a much larger geographic area. Our small agency, started in 1985 with a case load of 8 children, has soared NEW REFERRALS 64 53 31 2013 Grants $652,512 Board of Directors Officers to new heights and soon will reach a caseload of nearly 400 children. SERVICE TYPE Because of this amazing growth, we have updated our mission statement Fundraisers $338,098 Direct Services 110 66 59 Jay Hatcher, President Outreach Services 28 12 4 to better state the reason VIPS is even more critical today. Contributions $310,253 John Talbott, Vice-President Family Support 7 3 2 “Visually Impaired Preschool Services (VIPS) empowers families by William Jessee, CPA, Treasurer Contracts $278,683 Full-time Preschool 18 n/a n/a Jennifer O’Dea, Secretary providing educational excellence to young children with visual impairments Sighted Peers 8 n/a n/a Restricted Accounts $23,069 in order to build a strong foundation for reaching their highest potential.” School Contracts 4 20 n/a Board Members Center Based Programs $21,201 Throughout this annual report we will highlight the many ways VIPS BY AGE John B. Anders continues to grow and expand in an effort to educate Kentucky and Indiana’s Other revenue $28,169 Holly Belter-Chesser Birth to 3 102 78 61 visually impaired children and their families. As good stewards of your donor Jerry Bizer, O.D Realized gain (loss) on investments $(1,576) 3 ‐ 5 yr olds 54 3 4 Kristen Britt dollars, we are identifying more collaborative initiatives so that we can all do 5 yr olds and up 19 20 n/a Jim Conklin more for our children with the fewer dollars available. This year was the first Total support & revenues $1,650,409 Terri Connolly in VIPS history to be included in the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s BY GENDER Will Corrigan Stephen Deeley Department of Education’s budget with $100,000 in annual support. Male 74 50 37 EXPENSES Joseph P. Donohue We truly hope to remain a budget item. Female 101 51 28 Gregory S. Dutton Our teachers travel the entire Commonwealth of Kentucky and a very Robin Frazier BY RACE Robert Gunnell large portion of the State of Indiana providing the early intervention skills, Program $1,060,915 African American 25 6 8 Ruth Hans expanded core education, social preparation and other skills necessary to Administrative $264,546 Asian 3 0 0 Erik Hitzelberger help our children build strong foundations. Please remind your legislators Bi-Racial 11 5 1 George Hocker Fundraising 224,514 Caucasian 114 86 49 Shari L. House in both states of the importance of VIPS early intervention programs. Steven M. Howell, M.D. Restricted Program items $18,200 Hispanic 8 2 2 As you will see, VIPS continues to be extremely blessed with the tremendous Brandon Jaggers Other 7 1 3 Other expenses $1,768 Mike Johnson annual support of individuals like Dr. Mark & Cindy Lynn and Marlene & J. Unknown 7 1 2 Charles LeBoeuf David Grissom; agencies like WHAS Crusade for Children, Kosair Charities, Therese Bird McGuire KSBCF, Louisville Downtown Lions Club, Metro United Way and United Way Total expenses $1,569,943 Nora F. Meldrum of the Bluegrass. We also couldn’t do it without our many other generous Patrick Murta Change in net assets $80,828 Ellen Prizant foundation and corporate partners including the Osmondson Fund, Woosley KENTUCKY COUNTIES SERVED Lester Sanders Foundation, Brown-Forman, Ford, GE and so many others whose names will Allen, Anderson, Bath, Barren, Bourbon, Boyd, Boyle, Bracken, Breathitt, Breckinridge, Gen Shelton Net assets, beginning of year $2,807,371 follow in this report. We can’t possibly express the depths of our gratitude to Bullitt, Butler, Caldwell, Calloway, Campbell, Casey, Christian, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Amy Sitterly Andy Steinbach all the individuals, corporations, foundations, organizations, friends and staff Crittenden, Daviess, Edmondson, Estill, Fayette, Fleming, Floyd, Franklin, Garrard, Net assets, June 30, 2013 $2,888,199 Mark Stiebling who continue to make it all possible for our children and their families. Grant, Grayson, Greenup, Hardin, Harlan, Hart, Henderson, Hopkins, Jefferson, Glen Stuckel Jessamine, Johnson, Kenton, Knot, Knox, Laurel, Larue, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, With heartfelt appreciation, Letcher, Lewis, Lincoln, Logan, Marshall, Madison, McCreary, Meade, Mercer, Metcalfe, Founding Board Members Montgomery, Morgan, Muhlenberg, Nelson, Nicholas, Oldham, Perry, Powell, Pulaski, Sharon G. Bensinger Robertson, Rockcastle, Rowan, Russell, Scott, Shelby, Simpson, Spencer, Taylor, Maud Fliegelman Diane M. Nelson Trimble, Warren, Wayne, Webster, Whitley, Woodford Executive Director Honorary Board Members INDIANA COUNTIES SERVED Jennifer Alleyne, M.D. Bartholomew, Brown, Clark, Clay, Decatur, Delaware, Floyd, Hamilton, Hancock, Representative Tom Burch Harrison, Hendricks, Jackson, Jefferson, Jennings, Johnson, Lake, Lawrence, Marion, VIPS strives to be a national leader in services to young children who are visually Patrick Henry Hughes Monroe, Morgan, Orange, Owen, Scott, Shelby, St. Joseph, Vigo, and Washington. Gary Mudd impaired and their familiies through adherence to evidence-based, best practices in the field of education of visually impaired and early childhood education. VIPS ANNUAL REPORT 2013 VIPS Joining my co-workers at the lunch table at the end of the preschool day is an amazing Our VIPS Lexington office is on a huge growth trajectory, too. VIPS is deep into planning a experience. Such energy and joy! Such enthusiasm and creativity! Such love and genius! GROWTH IN ACTION. partnership with the University of Kentucky Early Childhood Lab School where the two entities Most of the conversation includes comments such as “Did you see our friend …” or will share preschool and office space in a newly acquired building on the UK campus. Move-in BY KATHY MULLEN, “This friend is already …” or “I cannot believe what I saw today, but our friend actually …” date is anticipated for January 2015. VIPS Bloomington continues to grow in number of children DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION It is always a joyful time! and families served and staff additions. Grant monies have been secured to provide extensive These lunches also confirm for me what I have known for a long, long time. Early childhood trainings to early interventionists in the state in order for them to become specialized in working educators are impatient people. Sure, they come across as patient, nurturing adults who have with young children with visual impairments, helping us to achieve our goal of serving more all the time in the world for a child to follow a bug on the sidewalk, independently write their families and children. Permanent space will hopefully be secured for the Bloomington office in names in the sign-in binder as they enter the classroom each morning, or pull up their pants by the next year. themselves in the restroom. But that is not really true! Teachers of the young are energized by Quite possibly the most important growth in the world of VIPS has been in the sense of a changing environment. They are motivated by growth. They are never satisfied with the compassion and fellowship among coworkers near and far. My coworkers and I love our jobs accomplishments of the day, but always want tomorrow to arrive offering even more than today. and feel blessed to be able to work in an environment where our personal and professional For this and many other reasons, VIPS is the perfect place for an early childhood professional growth is celebrated and where we can celebrate the growth of those served by our efforts. to land. Everyday our teachers of the visually impaired, developmental interventionists and Likewise, we continue to be amazed by those who generously support us with their gifts. preschool classroom teams get to enhance a child’s development. They get to live their We invite you to visit us some time to see us grow! Get ready – it promises to be much more dreams in the company of young children who are growing and changing at all times – exciting than you can imagine! growing taller, growing more independent, growing more courageous, growing in curiosity, growing in self-pride. Even when a co-worker needs a break from sticky fingers and squeaky voices, they can BUILDING NEW PARTNERSHIPS. Beginning in January of 2015, VIPS will enter in an exciting new partnership with the University experience the growth and changes at VIPS firsthand by moving to the business side of of Kentucky! The UK Early Childhood Laboratory (ECL) provides exemplary childcare services VIPS and counting the growing number of children served in Kentucky and Indiana.